Springboards, Tobi-ishi (飛 石) in Japanese, are an essential element of the traditional Japanese garden. Unlike normal garden paths, walking on trampolines requires more concentration. This has a positive influence on how people experience the garden. Additionally, people can't walk side-by-side on a stepping stone path, eliminating potential distractions. In a tea garden, this also ensures that people don't arrive at the same time at the tea house before the tea ceremony begins.

The stepping stones were introduced by the tea master Sen no Rikyū, a very famous historical figure. The original idea behind the stepping stones was to keep the Zōri, traditional Japanese sandals, clean and dry when walking in the garden.

Kutsunugi-ishi (沓 脱 石) are large Japanese stepping stones used to climb from the garden onto a veranda, for example. In ancient Japan, they were mainly placed in tea gardens so that visitors could enter the tea house from the garden. Before entering Japanese buildings, especially traditional tea houses, it is an important custom to take off your shoes. This can be done by standing on the Kutsunugi-ishi, which is the origin of the name. Kutsunugi-ishi loosely translated means: rock on which shoes are taken off.

Specifications
- Depth = 45.28 inches
- Width = 16.14 inches
- Height = 9.45 inches

- Origin: Kyoto, Kyoto prefecture, Japan
- Material: Shirakawa stone (白 川 石)